What if every morning you woke up you could see everything that would transpire in a day? Every conversation, reaction, and result from the moment you opened your eyes until you closed them to start it all over again? Sparrow often wondered what it was like to be a precog, knowing that kind of stuff. Would it make you afraid to get out of bed in the morning if you just knew that day was going to be horrible?

Especially now as she was barelling towards the wastes the thought crossed her mind. That morning if she had known, would she have gone? Or better yet what could she have done differently to prevent the scene unfolding before her now? Shaking it off beneath the mask she pushed the thought aside. She had done everything right. Every precaution had been taken. The engines were checked, every safety measure that could have been taken was.

Even worse were the memories she held for everyone she had surrounded herself with. Would they ever know how much she really appreciated them? She had always been such a smartass that now she wondered if that was all they saw her as. Did any of them know her, truly? Another shake as she dismissed the thought. Of course they did, all of them were her family.

It's funny how when you think you may die you think of stupid things like that.

The jet had already collided a few hundred meters away, the barrell of smoke and fire erupting into the sky evidence enough. Maybe she should have just stayed on the jet and not jumped, maybe then her death would have been quick. Despite having a fully functioning drop pack it wasn't going to be enough. She had jumped too late, waited too long all to record the mayday message that reached deaf ears. Sparrow knew no one was coming by the static she received in response. With her luck the incompitent pilot assist program would mess that up too and send the transcription to another planet.

Sparrow tried to brace herself for the impact, throwing up an electromagnetic field in hopes that maybe she would survive. That was what she promised wasn't it? That she wasn't going to die, that she wouldn't, couldn't.

And then she hit.

Hard.

x.x

That day, just like many others, started out with the usual day to day life Sparrow lived. Wake up, eat breakfast, workout, go to drills. After that, it was mainly patrolling the bay, incoming and outgoing flights, or maintenance. Lucky for Sparrow she had the wonderful pleasure of testing out the new Pilot Assist program installed in most of their newer model jets. She had already had one run in with the program with no success, resulting in a duct tape and broken mess at the end of the day. However, despite that she had been tasked with testing it out during an actual flight.

Something about being trapped inside bothered her. It was just so much more fun to do waste patrols on the back of Tyasja, so much more... liberating. Not to mention this stupid program that was already driving her batshit crazy. Conversation with Tyasja was also surprisingly more pleasant.

"Current altitude, scans and engine functions." Like hell she would ever say please to a fucking robot.

"Sure thing Pilot Echo Anderson, I'll get right on that." The assist program responded, allowing a long pause as it searched for the data she requested. "I'm not finding anything matching your request for current cans. Could you repeat that?"

"Are you fucking kidding me!? I didn't say cans! I said scans!" Her grip on the control stick tensed.

Sparrow closed her eyes while pulling in a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. "Current altitude, s-c-a-n-s, and engine functions." She made an extra effort to punctuate this time.

"Sure thing Pilot Echo Anderson, I'll get right on that." Another pause. "Current Altitude 11,800 meters, Current scans show no changes to previous models. Current jet functions all appear normal."

After about thirty minutes Sparrow asked the same question. "Current altitude, scans and engine functions."

"Sure thing Pilot Echo Anderson, I'll get right on that." Another pause while the program gathered data. "The weather in Margad is quite lovely today. It is 23 degrees Celcius with only a 6% chance of showers late in the evening."

Sparrow was too defeated to even respond. Instead, she simply tapped the back of her helmet on the seat behind her, rolling her eyes beneath the shield of her mask. She tried to be calm, she really did. She even attempted taking in a few deep breaths to ground herself before finally responding. However, this is Sparrow we are talking about here.

"Are...." another deep breath. "Are you trying to kill me!? You STUPID PIECE OF SHIT!" Sparrow removed a hand from one of the sticks and smacked the dash.

"I'm sorry Pilot Echo Anderson, I did not understand your question. Could you ask again?"

"UGH!!!!!" Sparrow then facepalmed, placing a gloved hand over the shield on her mask. "What did I do to deserve this?" she asked herself, almost whimpering.

It had to have only been five seconds at most, five seconds for the sound of metal grinding and components combusting that escaped the left engine of her jet. Immediately Sparrow snapped to a tension, gripping both sticks as she tried to figure out what had just happened.

"Pilot Assist." Her voice was much more urgent than before.

"Yes Pilot Echo Anderson, How can I help you today?"

"Current altitude, scans and engine functions."

"Sure thing Pilot Echo Anderson, I'll get right on that." This pause almost seemed too long as Sparrow anxiously awaited the data. She could feel it, not only in her gut but in the steering that something was definitely wrong. "Current Altitude 9,300 meters, Current scans show no changes to previous models. Current jet functions show engine failure in the left engine. The recommended altitude for this terrain is 10,000 meters or more."

"Shit, shit, shit, shit." And then it hit again and this time Sparrow caught it. Out of the corner of her right eye, she saw a large flash before a similar sound could be heard from her other engine. The jet shook, and then another flash, and another. "Fucking birds!?" Sparrow nervously laughed, not believing her eyes as she saw an entire flock of the biggest fucking birds she had ever seen suddenly become a swarm around her jet. "I'm going to die because of fucking birds!? OH, how rich is this!?"

Part of her was in denial of what was actually happening. No way Sparrow could be taken down by a feathered, beaked, small-brained creature like birds! Yet here she was, in a jet failing because of exactly that. It was ironic, fate, almost too much of a coincidence.

"Pilot Assist"

"Yes Pilot Echo Anderson, How can I help you today?"

"I need you to transcribe a message for me and immediately connect me to Adstreia Flight Bay."

"Sure thing Pilot Echo Anderson, I'll get right on that." While she waited Sparrow took in yet another breath, trying to calm herself so that hopefully this stupid program didn't fuck this up too."Please begin speaking after the long beep, I should also note that your altitude is declining rapidly. I have taken a moment to compute how many minutes before impact. You have, 4 minutes and 28 seconds before ejection from the aircraft is unsafe."

"Sure thing Pilot Echo Anderson, I'll get right on that.""Your current altitude is 1400 meters. You have 1 minute and 29 seconds until ejection from the aircraft is unsafe."

Sparrow closed her eyes again, fighting back the nerves and tears beginning to build. She paused, swallowing as she realized what had to be done. Her tone was now raspier, the lump in her throat growing as she choked on her words.

"I repeat, Mayday Mayday Mayday! Adstreia Flight Bay. Altitude rapidly declining. At 1400 meters! Lattitude 44.0682103. Longitude -114.38.5328." Again she had to pause, this time to brace from another impact. Lights were going crazy on the dash and it was becoming more difficult to keep the jet level.

"Please advise! Mayday Mayday Mayday! Adstreia Flight Bay!" Nothing but static as she listened again for a response.

"I must advise Pilot Echo Anderson that your aircraft has reached an unsafe altitude for ejection. You are now at 610 meters. Countdown to impact in approximately 1 minute and 12 seconds.

"Abandoning aircraft. Altitude at 610 meters!" Sparrow had already unlatched the clasps that held her to the seat, maneuvering as she began strapping a drop pack to her back."Pilot Assist"

"Yes Pilot Echo Anderson, How can I help you today?"

"I need you to transcribe a message from my Com, can you do that?"

"Sure thing Pilot Echo Anderson, I'll get right on that.""Give me just a moment to connect to your personal device.""Connection complete"Sparrow nodded to herself, a reassurance as she grabbed an emergency kit and strapped it to her belt. After that she pulled the red handle, the one handle she had always been advised to never pull unless it was an emergency. The one handle no pilot ever wanted to have to use.

Flying, that was how it felt as Sparrow was ejected from the jet into the air. Not at all the kind of liberation she was thinking of earlier when comparing Tyasja to a jet. She knew she had jumped too late, she knew the landing was going to be pretty gruesome and that the odds were not in her favor at this moment. But most importantly Sparrow knew one thing for sure.

She was going to try like hell to survive this fucking disaster.

"Pilot Assist" she choked, her eyes scanning the horizon as she kicked on the drop pack.

"Yes Pilot Echo Anderson, How can I help you today?" The voice of the Pilot Assist Program still channeling through her helmet, only now originating from her Com.

"Transcribe the following message to Adstreia Flight Bay, add the heading Attention Pilot Royal Alberich"

"Grisham..." Sparrow paused, getting choked up again as she realized how quickly she was propelling towards the ground."... I am alive. I will not die..." The shakiness in her voice was audible."I will not give up. I will wait..." Another pause."I will fight..." "I am a Hellion...""Hellion's don't fucking die because of stupid birds!" "Heh, can you believe it? A fucking bird..." Another moment where Sparrow had to stop to keep herself composed. She whipped her head back as she looked at the sky, afraid to look at the wastes below."... This isn't a fucking goodbye dammit! I am not going to fucking die like this! I can't die like this!" Never had Sparrow been so choked up with feelings. In an instant she felt like her life was flashing before her eyes. She was seeing everything she had missed, everything she hadn't done yet."Find Me."

"I apologize Pilot Echo Anderson, it seems we are having issues with your connection."

Again she choked.

x.x

A cloud of dust and electromagnetic energy collided in the air as it broke apart above the lifeless form dressed in black. She had become one with the environment surrounding her, another peice to be covered and weathered with time. It seemed dust would settle, storms would brew, yet she would stay... just laying there.

Back in Adstreia Tyasja shifted, whipping her head up in alert as she felt the impact Sparrow had just endured. Large wings spread out and momentarily flexed before returning back at her sides.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon..." mumbles behind shaky hands as she attached the last wire. "Please..." she whimpered as she prayed for the screen to illuminate. "Just work", her voice a whisper against stone walls.

One....two....three... nothing.

"Dammit!"

Frustration combined with everything else Sparrow had been harboring quickly erupted as the jerry-rigged Com was flung across the rock immediately followed with deep regret.

"No!" a cry as she stumbled over and began picking the pieces up to reassemble again.

Emerald eyes reflected the glimmer of flames as she meticulously picked up each delicate piece. Sparrow was determined to get a signal out, anything to let them know she was alive. She knew there was no way to guarantee they had gotten her mayday or any other attempt for that matter. So this had to be done.

Setting her scavenged pieces aside Sparrow placed her attention back on the fire, shifting her eyes from side to side out of pure paranoia. She knew she wasn't alone out here, each day reminded her of that in one way or another. One day she spent trying to evade raiders, another hiding as they circled her location.

And then that damn lizard.

For days she kept seeing it, always around but never close enough. Every time she thought she had lost it there it was again... hunting her. Sleepless nights and long drawn out days were brought on by it. Sparrow knew the minute she closed her eyes it would come for her. It was at least 5 foot long, tail not included. Easily it could have come after her time and time again, except it was cruel. This lizard taunted her, drove her mad. Day in and out always there, scuddling around just waiting for the perfect time to strike.

On day 5 it did.

The meat crackled and sizzled over the fire, cooking to a temperature Sparrow could only guess at. Served that damn lizard right coming after her like that. Was its own fault it was cooking over a fire now.

Damn, it smelled good. Tasted even better.

After a well-deserved meal, Sparrow felt rejuvenated, placing pieces and wires back together meticulously. All of which were scavenged from the drop pack that saved her life along with the original pieces that were not melted. She was determined to make it work, determined to let them know she wasn't going anywhere that easily, determined to let Grisham know she had cooked a damn burger and it was fucking great!

"Please please please please" she began whispering again, clicking the last wire into place.

"Please..." her eyes began to burn as she pleaded with the dismembered device in front of her. Her body was hunched over it, spine-bending forwards as she begged technology to understand. It would have been really convenient to be a techno right then, part of her thought she was when the screen lit up.

"Yes!"

The burning in her eyes only intensified, shoulders rolling as Sparrow sobbed from the pure relief. Somehow she had gotten it to work! Even better it powered onto the last screen she had left it on... the pilot chat.

'Is anyone getting this?' she quickly typed out, pressing send with a knot in her chest.

And then there it was. Grisham responded, typing out her name in response. She wasn't sure what exactly it was they were getting, but they had to be getting something. They knew she was there.

Again she sobbed, wiping tears that ran across the smile she couldn't control.

'Hello? Grisham? Mission Accomplished' another message sent before the Com powered off.

This time though she didn't lose it. The Com was working, only not holding power. This was something she could easily fix. So instead of having another meltdown, Sparrow got to work, encrypting a message to send directly to Adstreia as soon as power was restored.